The  Messiah’s  Secret - Discernment. 
Evening Lectionary 
Hebrews 11: 1-3, 8-16. John 8: 51-59

The Bishop of Bolton Chris Edmondson  at a Readers Quiet Morning(2009) gave a talk on ‘Discernment’. He gave guidance through 10 points, I’ll read one of them: Learn to discern the difference between ‘the world’, ‘the flesh’ and ‘the devil’ so that the devil does not get ‘credit’ for what is a purely human phenomenon.

 What is the human phenomenon?

I have worshipped at churches where you were not encouraged to say anything other than the liturgy.
‘Church Chuckles’ “I would be grateful if the member of the congregation who keeps calling out, “Praise the Lord!” would kindly cease and remember that this is the house of God.” 

Friendly banter, “The church members were meeting to discuss raising money to repair the roof. A wealthy member stood up and said he would donate £5. As he sat down a bit of ceiling fell on his head. He rose again and said he would make it £50. Another member was heard to say, ”Hit him again, Lord.”  

‘Church Chuckles’  by Phil and Mary Mason. Publishers Monarch. 

In John Chapter 8 a heated conversation took place between Jesus and the Jews in the temple at Jerusalem. Jesus made a distinction between the spirituality of those born of the seed of Abraham and those born the children of Abraham.

The people who were talking with Jesus he described as being of the seed of Abraham they were Abraham’s descendants, having the covenants and promises, but they were in bondage, under the influence of the devil. 

Whereas, the children of Abraham their spirituality would reflect the fellowship that Abraham had with God. Abraham sought to hear from God and he acted in faith and obedience. The writer of Hebrews wrote, “By faith Abraham went to Promised Land not knowing where he was going, and when he settled in Canaan he looked for a heavenly city whose maker and builder was God. 

Discernment  

Jesus said that those who were the children of Abraham would have listened and heard God in his words and received him in faith, they would have loved him  

Those listening their response indicated they neither discerned or heard what he said.  This fulfilled what Isaiah wrote “Go to this people and say, You shall indeed hear but not understand, and you shall indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull' and their ears are heavy with hearing, and their eyes have closed; lest they should receive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.” Isaiah 6: 9,10.  

The Lent Course the study of Mark 10: 32 – 45. 

Jesus told his disciples that he was going to be killed at Jerusalem and after three days be raised from the dead. They did not hear what he was saying, instead they picked up the word ‘kingdom’ and asked who should sit on his left and right in his kingdom. They were coming from the seed of Abraham the flesh, pride, self determined life, position and power. Jesus said are you able to drink the cup of his baptism? 
They responded by saying, ”Yes, we are able.” They followed him on the journey to the cross, where two criminals where crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. This is what Jesus was pointing to when James and John would be baptised into Jesus' death and resurrection, crucified with Christ in dying to self determined lives, seeking the lowest place, not seeking positions of power and authority, instead “not my will, but Jesus your will be done. 
James and John suffered for their faith:  James was killed by Herod and John was exiled to Pathos. Many Christians are suffering today in Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Nigeria. Barnabas Aid asks us to pray today for the people of Eastern Nigeria who are being persecuted by Boko Haran.
  

We discussed the possibility that, “Surely having heard from Jesus of his death they would understand.” But in other scriptures Luke and Matthew's Gospel they confirmed that the disciples could not grasp what Jesus was saying, “And taking the twelve, he said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” Luke 18:31- 34 

After God had revealed to Peter that Jesus was the Christ, Jesus said that he was going to suffer and the third day rise from the dead. Peter said, "God forbid it Lord! This should never happen to you!"  Matthew 16: 13 - 23.

The prophesies in the scriptures were hidden by God  

Jesus’ parables as well as many of the prophesies were not discerned by the disciples as well as the Jews. Like the prophecy where Abraham took his son Isaac and laid him upon the altar and God provided the ram for sacrifice. Fulfilled in Jesus. 
Genesis 22 Isaiah 53. Hebrews 11: 17-19.  

Jesus said, “Abraham ‘Saw Christ’s day and rejoiced’.  Abraham rejoiced to see Jesus as he probably discerned that God had in mind of making an offering of his Son to suffer and die to make the final sacrifice for sin. 

Jesus words John 8: 51, “If a person keeps my words, they will never see death.” Christians  are born not of human descent, we are adopted by Jesus to become children of God. Adopted through the promise given to Abraham, therefore we are, inheritors of the kingdom of God.   

Scriptures Revealed. 

On the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection when Jesus appeared in the house at Jerusalem where his disciples were gathered and he breathed on his disciples the Holy Spirit and he opened their minds to understand the scriptures that the Christ had to suffer death and be raised up by God on the third day. It was only then was the scriptures realised. Luke 24: 44 – 48.  Some of those scriptures were included  in the Gospels. John 2: 21, 22. 12: 16. Matthew 8: 17  

The Incarnation

Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, or ‘I solemnly declare to you’ “ Before Abraham was, I am.”   

Jesus the word of God clothed in the flesh. John  wrote In the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”  In his first letter he wrote describing Jesus’ presence among them, “We have handled the word of life.”  

Jesus honoured by God 

In heaven Jesus was honoured by his Father, the lamb that was slain he took the scroll from the right hand of him sitting on the throne. The angels and all the company of heaven said with aloud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour, glory and blessing.” Revelation 4: 9 Jesus lifted high above all things.  

After Pentecost

Caiaphas the high priest had been given a prophecy from God that one man would die so that the nation would not perish. (be saved.) John 11: 47 - 53. 18: 14.

When at and after Pentecost the disciples witnessed to the resurrection of Jesus and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit prophesied by King David and Joel one would have thought that Caiaphas would have understood that the prophecy God gave him had been fulfilled, that God had hidden from their, the leaders understanding the Messiah’s death so that they would allow it to happen, and that afterwards he would be able to discern the resurrection being true, even though it was contrary to the Sadducee beliefs,  or was it because he was coming from the seed of Abraham.